Post into the warpstab debate by "Ishquar Teh'Sainte"

Now let's look at the following situations:

A.) Belthunter in Low-Sec
Mr. Belthunter enjoys hunting in lowsec ... no wonder - there are sometimes [b]really[/b] nice rewards. To minimize the possibility to get killed by some lone pirates he fits his lowslots with WCS - yeah, he will beat down those rats a bit slower, will have take more damage but as long his only serious problem are those stupid NPCs everthing is great for him - the lone pirate that jumps on top of him ... ha forget those unlucky bastard, *warp to safespot* will work.
Now let's look at the "risk vs. reward" thing in this situation - the only risk out there are a.) blobs of pirates b.)those NPCs - for point (a.) look at assumption (2.) - so the main risk in LowSec for Mr. Belthunter are those pesky NPCs ... ahem - i don't know if LowSec should be a space where you [b]only[/b] have to fear NPCs.
Fact: Mr. Belthunter can gain some nice money without risking too much.

B.) Pirates
Our friends Ms. Beltrat and Mr. Gatesniper are enjoying piracy ... no wonder - they can earn [sometimes] a lot of money. To minimize their risk - they fit WCS .. if their act of crime doesn't turn out the way it should, they can warp away. Now they can engage allmost any target - if they are able to pwn it ... everything's fine ... but when it turns out as a trap - hit *warp to safespot* and move away. Now they can enjoy a riskfree profession. If their prey has WCS fitted - the pirate won't kill it, but he won't lose his ship. If their prey blobs them ... look at assumption (2.) If the prey fights back on a 1v1 or something similar ... when it goes wrong the pirate can warp before he lose his ship [b]especially[/b] when the lone belthunter is a PvPer who waited for an 1v1 against our nasty friends.
And for Mr. Gatesniper - there's a special scenario. He pwned hauler after hauler. No wonder that some people might be upset ... now those people are organizing a gang ... at the moment when the first tackler warps on top of Mr. Gatesniper he hits *warp to safespot* ... normally one tackler won't be enough to negate his WCS rack in the lows.
The "risk vs. reward" thing has become a bit obsolet in these scenarios ... allmost no risk and enough reward.

[note - yeah, you can counter WCS abuse ... "bring more friends" ... but look under assumption (.2)]

C.) Fleetbattle
Fleet A is an extensive WCS user ... their lows are filled with WCS
Fleet B uses allmost no WCS
While Fleet B gets caught by the scramblers of Fleet A and gets slowly beaten down - the bigships of Fleet A can warp to a safespot and repair ... and enter the battle again after a few minutes.
No wonder when Fleet B looses the battle ... at this point it's nothing wrong with the WCS usage - better tactic/fleetfitting won the battle ...
But the next time Fleet B takes part in a fleetbattle against Fleet C it's likely that they will use the same tactic as Fleet A in the first engagement (especially when Fleet B gets beaten often by the "WCS tactic") ... and guess what - after a few engagements every Fleet from A to Z and back uses WCS ... in some ways WCS have become a must-have-module for fleetengagements ... the fact that a single module-type has become a must-have for a certain situation where other modules [b]could[/b] be used is imho an indicator for some balance issue.

D.) fitting wise
Ok ... you have a lot of lowslots .. would you put in some damage mods?? yeah ... but more than four is stupid .. what with the other slots?? WCS fit ... hmm ... now you can instakill some small ships ... hey, why don't minimze risk?? some more WCS and you will allmost instakill the same small ships. yeah great idea.
Hmm, should i tank?? No! Forget it, use WCS .. Why?? .. If they catch you in most situations a tank won't save your ship - you'll get ganked (what was first?? the chicken or the egg??) if you use WCS you can warp to a safe spot ... and if they are not that hard hitting?? ... Why use a tank when your enemies are too unskilled to hurt you?? .. m8, you're right
Conclusio: Who needs ganking/tanking when he/she can risk minimize at the origin of the problem? (the "get caught" situation)


Now let's look at some counter-"Nerf WCS!!!11!1" arguments:
a.) Bring more friends!
Look at assumption (2.)

b.) learn to scramble!n00b!
look through some posts on the OF .. if you want to tackle someone who has fitted a full rack of WCS, you'll have to gimp your setup essential ... now the "WCS gimp a setup too!!1" argument comes around. k, but by fitting a lot of WCS you minimize your risk to get caught in a situation [b]where you better never should have ended[/b]. [Get surprised by a pirate when you belthunt?? It's your fault, not the fault of the pirate, who "forced PvP upon you" ... the best thing you can do against getting surprised - WATCH LOCAL and USE COMMON SENSE] ... so the attacker gimps his setup in a manner where he can't fight proper ... he maximises his risk .. to minimise it again he could fit some WCS too (look at situation (B.)) ... or could bring some more friends (you know where you have to look ;-) ) And not to forget ... using a scrambler at all needs some skill, while using WCS needs only enough lowslots.

c.) WCS have a penalty!
What???? Are you sure?? You can fit any module you want and get the malus that you can't fit another module with another useful bonus. So the WCS are nothing special. But since RMR the extensive usage of allmost any lowslot module has gotten a malus (stacking penalty anyone??) - but WCS haven't got such penalty - nor a penalty in any other way. They use no cap, and can replace some other useful modules at ease ... cause you gain the uber-bonus "i can do what i want to do ... without consequences" ... you attacked someone who is able to fight back?? no problem warp off ... risk minimization 4tw!! O_o


In my opinion - the best chance to solve this problems ...
Give WCS a harsh lockingrange penalty. Why??
RP-wise: Due to highenergy fields emitted in the process of warp core stabilization, sensible sensor electronics get in trouble (or something like that)
It should be a travel module ... and a lockingrange penalty is imho the best option [b]NOT[/b] to nerf haulers. Why should hauler get a "greencard" in this issue?? WCS are allmost their only defense - they are "nerfed" enough (that means - balanced for their purpose)
And make it a medslot module too - in addition to the lowslot ones.

I would say:
Med slot WCS
- fitting requirements: what you want ... i'm not that much into CPU and PG issues
- cap usage: 5 capunits per 5 sec cycle
- WCS bonus: 1.5
- lockingrange penalty: 90%

Low slot WCS
- fitting requirements: stay the same
- cap usage: 0
- WCS bonus: 1
- lockingrange penalty: 75%

Now i'm interested in your opinion ;-)